A conventional baby bottle feeding system for an infant generally includes a feeding bottle with a nipple attached to the open top of the bottle and held in place by a threaded, annular cap. This bottle must be held by a person as the child is being fed from the bottle. In some cases, it may be possible to prop the bottle against a stuffed toy, pillow or the like or to suspend it above the child by some type of suspension device. Holding devices of these types are usually cumbersome and not highly effective to keep the bottle in position until the child has been fed sufficiently from the bottle.
Other problems associated with the conventional baby bottle feeding system include nipple collapse due to vacuum build-up inside the bottle. Even if the nipple does not collapse, the vacuum in the bottle is sufficiently high that it requires a strong suction by the child for the liquid to flow out of the bottle. This usually results in a frustrated, screaming child with sore jaw muscles. Feeding of the child then becomes an unpleasant experience.
In the case of newborn infants and those yet unable to support a bottle, the conventional bottle-nipple arrangement requires support during feeding. Since there are hardly any efficient commercially available holding systems, the usual method of support requires a person to hold the bottle. This limits the activity of the person. Also, in performing other activities, such as driving a car, the car must be stopped to feed the child. If the child is being taken for a walk in a stroller or carrier, the person pushing the stroller must stop to feed the child or else have the bottle propped up in the stroller in some fashion which typically is not very effective.
Another problem encountered in the use of the conventional bottle-nipple arrangement is the weight of the bottle and its contents. Until the child is strong enough or old enough to support the bottle, the child constantly drops the bottle, thus requiring someone to re-position the bottle and the nipple in the child's mouth so that the child can continue to feed. Additionally, there is the problem of leakage when the bottle containing the liquid is lying on its side and not being used.
In view of the foregoing problems, it is desirable to improve upon the conventional bottle-nipple arrangement to avoid the problems mentioned above. Specifically, it is desirable to provide a baby bottle feeding system which should operate as follows:
1. It should eliminate vacuum build-up inside the bottle itself during feeding; PA0 2. It should eliminate nipple collapse. PA0 3. It should allow the liquid to flow freely from the feeding bottle when suction is applied; PA0 4. It should be simple in design but efficient and capable of being easily disassembled for storage or cleaning and easily re-assembled for feeding; PA0 5. It should minimize or eliminate leakage; PA0 6. It should eliminate the need to hold the feeding bottle during feeding; PA0 7. It should be easy to clean; PA0 8. It should be of compact size so that it is not bulky to handle; PA0 9. It should be lightweight in construction and be made to meet all governmental requirements, including the use of disposable material where applicable; PA0 10. It should be safe for use in all of its various applications; PA0 11. It should provide for some of the components to have multiple uses.
None of the conventional or prior art bottle feeding systems so far developed provides for these desirable features. The present invention includes all of such features and, in addition, the invention is simple and rugged in construction, inexpensive to produce, and easy to keep clean.